Friday, August 19, 2011

Recently I have come over "CA IT Process Automation Manager" 3.0.
Which should be great cross-computer process programming environment.

In few words ITPAM allows to run and interact processes on different computers. Like conditionally install different software on set of servers, configure and start them, wait for readiness, run tests from clients, wait for results and process report. Make that working on schedule or by external event like version control commit. All in different computers, different OS and applications.

ITPAM includes IDE, control/monitoring suite, set of agents for most OS-es.
As language it is kind of old 4G development language: primary UI is UML with attached properties on each element. It has "low-level" programming capabilities over JS which triggered on different kind of events.
IDE is kind of OK, sufficient for target goals of creation. Debugger is not capable of run-time breakpoints(should be set on source level), there is no "watch" variable. No debugger on JS level.
Documentation is plain absent. 600 pages of docs currently present barely sufficient to have simplest algorithm implemented. No samples.

Conclusion: hire contractor already familiar with system and passed more than training. As simple question on real-life tasks like "how to pass parameters to sub-routine".

If you do not have skilled in media person, go to CA directly asking for their service. Do not bother to try on your own, it will take 2+ month for skilled developer to make any a bit more than primitive system. Or bug myself :)

Who are brave enough could try themselves. Wave CA IT PAM tips and tricks could be helpful. Feel free to add your own thoughts there.